Effects of Electron Beam Irradiation on the Storage Stability and Quality Characteristics of Chicken and Duck Meat

This study evaluated the effects of low-dose electron beam irradiation (0, 1, 2, and 3 kGy) on storage stability and quality properties of chicken and duck breast meat. Five foodborne pathogens (<i>Salmonella typhimurium</i>, <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>, <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Bacillus cereus</i>, and <i>Escherichia coli</i>) were inoculated into the samples and subjected to irradiation under vacuum packaging. The irradiated samples were vacuum-packed and stored at 4 °C. Microbial recovery, lipid and protein oxidation, physicochemical characteristics, and meat color were analyzed over 0, 1, and 2 weeks. A completely randomized design was used with five biological replicates (<i>n</i> = 5) per treatment, and each measurement was performed in triplicate (technical replicates). Electron beam treatment effectively reduced microbial counts, achieving complete inactivation of all pathogens except <i>Bacillus cereus</i> at 3 kGy. Irradiation resulted in significant reductions in pH and water-holding capacity (<i>p</i> < 0.05) while increasing thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) values, particularly in duck and chicken, respectively. Color parameters such as L* and b* decreased, while a*, chroma, and redness increased, with hue angle showing a decreasing trend. These changes were associated with myoglobin transformation and protein oxidation caused by irradiation-induced reactive oxygen species. Despite minor variations, proximate composition remained unaffected by irradiation. Overall, electron beam irradiation at doses up to 3 kGy effectively enhanced microbial safety without compromising nutritional quality, indicating its potential as a non-thermal preservation method for raw poultry meat products.